Rotatable refrigerator with multiple compartments



March 12, 1957 J. HOUGHTON ETAL 9 9 9 WITH MULTIPLE COMPARTMENTS 2 Shets-Sheet 2 ROTATABLE REFRIGERATOR Filed Sept. 28, l954 IN VEN TOR.

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ROTATABLE REFRIGERATOR WITH MULTIPLE COMPARTMENTS Application September 28, 1954, Serial No. 458,732

Claims. (Cl. 62117.3)

This invention relates to refrigerating apparatuses and particularly to cylindrical refrigerators having a refrigcrating system installed therein.

An object of our invention is to provide a combined home freezer and household refrigerator which is economical to operate andof low manufacturing cost.

Anotherobject of ourinvention is to mount a closed refrigerating system in a rotatable refrigerator cabinet and to provide for the rotation of the refrigerating system with the cabinet upon a supporting base.

Another object of our invention is to provide an improved refrigerator cabinet of cylindrical form the food storage compartment or compartments of which are readily accessible at the front of the cabinet by rotating the cabinet relative to a supporting base therefor.

A further object of our invention is to providea rotatable vertically elongated cylindricalrefrigerator cabinet with a plurality of upright side by side individual food storage compartments each refrigerated to a different tem perature in a novel and improved manner and wherein each compartment is provided with a separate door so that access to a normal temperatured food storage compartment therein maybe had without exposingthe interior of a freezingor frozen food storage compartment in the cabinet to atmosphere ambient to the cabinet. I p

In carrying out the foregoing objects it is a still f u rth er and morespecific object of our invention to provide a rotatable vertically elongated cylindrical refrigerator cabinet witha novel air circulating flue arrangement housing a condenser of a refrigerating system carried by and rotatable with the cabinet upon a supporting. base whereby the condenser inducesand augments circulation of air through the flue and willbe efficientl'y cooled byair flowing therethrough.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention. will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred form of the invention is clearly shown.

in the drawings Figure 1 is a front view of a rotatable ref'riger'at'or'con structed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a top view of the refrigerator shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an elongated vertical sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1 partly broken away show ing aniair flue extendingupwardly through the refrig erator;

Figure 4 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view of the refrigerator taken on'the line 44 of Figure l partly broken away;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional viewta-ken on the line 5--5 of Figure4 showing an opening in a partitioning wallbetween the food storage'compartments'in the refrigerator;

Figure 6' is a. fragmentary sectional viewtaken on'the line 6--6 of Figure 5 showing shutter like mean's forcontrolling the flow of air through the: openingiin' the partitioning wall;

nited States Patent 0 "ice 2,784,569 Patented Mar. 12, 19 57 Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of Figure 4 showing a support for a shelf in the refrigerator;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 1 showing the side of a locking means on the refrigerator;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of Figure 3 showing a reinforcing plate for the base upon which the refrigerator is rotatably mounted; and

Figure 10 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing brushes engaging ring conductors for convey ing electric current to an element of a refrigerating system associated and rotatable with the refrigerator.

Referring to the drawings, for purposes of illustrating the invention, we have shown in Figures 1 and 2 thereof a refrigerating apparatus comprising a cabinet generally represented by the reference character 10. Cabinet 10 is of a vertically elongated circular or cylindrical form and is mounted upon a stationary base 11 for rotation relative thereto in a manner as will be hereinafter described. Cabinet 10 has inner and outer metal walls 12 and 13 spaced apart and any suitable or conventional insulating mate'rial 14 (see Figures 3 and 4) is disposed in the space between these Walls to provide the same with a plurality of insulated wall members. The insulated wall members include the router cylindrical walls of the cabinet, top and bottom horizontal walls 16 and 17 respectively (see Figure 3) and vertical partitioning walls 181 (see Figure 4) having a] central tubular or cylindrical wall 19 forming an air fiu'e20'extending through the cabinet at the axis of rotation thereof about base 11. These insulated walls form or provide a food storage chamber within cabinet 10' and the partitioning walls 18 divide this chamber into a plurality of side by side upright food storage compartments 21, 22 and 23 (see Figure 4). Thus the cylindrical flue 20 extends upwardly through the food storage chamber centrally of cabinet 10. The outer metal sheath or wall 13 extends upwardly from the food storage compartments and provides walls 24'of a machine compartment 25 at the top of cabinet 10 beyond the compartments 21, 22 and 23. Flue 20 includes an upper outwardly diverging collar portion 26 secured to the top wall 24 of machine compartment 25. That portion of machine compartment top wall 24 above the collar 26 is provided with a plurality of openings 27 serving as an outlet for flue 20. The outer metal sheath or wall 13 also extends downwardly from the compartments 21, 22 and 23 to provide askirt 28 which overlaps and conceals the greater part of the stationary metal base 11 upon which cabinet 10 is rotatably supported as will be presently described. The mounting means for rotatably supporting cabinet 10 upon base 11 includes a metal bearing plate 31 fitting over a shouldered metal collar 32 secured in any suitable or desirable manner to cabinet 16) (see Figure 3). This mounting means also includes a metal bearing plate 33 secured in a depression provided in the top of base 11. Both plates 31 and 33 are provided with circular races forming tracks containing a series of metal balls 34 whereby to facilitate rotation of cabinet 10 upon its supporting base 11. A large locknut 36 or the like is threaded upon collar 32 to hold cabinet 10 upon base 11. A plurality of gusset plates 37 welded or otherwise suitably secured to metal base 11 in spaced apart relation therearound (see Figures 3 and 9) increascsthe structural strength of the base for supporting cabinet 10. Metal base 11 is provided with a plurality of cut-out portions 38 which form air passages for the flow of air from exteriorly of cabinet 10 into the lower inlet opening of the cylindrical flue20.

In order that cabinet 10 may serve as a combined household refrigerator and home freezer compartment 21 is preferably cooled to a temperature well below 32 F. for

fast freezing foods placed therein or for the storage of frozen foods and the compartments 22 and 23 adjacent thereto are cooled to a temperature above 32 F. for the storage therein of less perishable food products. Each of the individual food storage compartments 21, 22 and 23 have an access opening and a separate insulated door structure 41, hingedly mounted upon cabinet 10, normally closing each access opening (see Figures 1 and 4). A plurality of wire or the like vertically spaced apart shelves 42 may be located in each food compartment and supported therein in any desired or conventional manner. These shelves 42 may if desired be of the slidable or rollable pull-out type but are herein disclosed as being stationarily mounted on opposed plate members 43 secured to the inner metal wall or liner 12 of the compartments 21, 22 and 23. Each shelf plate 43 is provided with a depressed portion 44 (see Figure 7) which receives a reinforcing cross wire 46 on the bottom of shelf 42. The fitting of wire 46 in depression 44 is for the double purpose of holding the shelves 42 in place against sliding movement and of locating the top surface of plates 43 on the same horizontal plane with the top portion of a shelf 42 for supporting food products on a common substantially fiat surface at the side edges of the shelf. In order to prevent rotation of cabinet relative to or upon base 11 and to lock the same stationary with respect thereto, with one of the food compartment doors 41 at the front side of cabinet 10, we provide a foot actuated mechanism on base 11 which includes a spring biased pedal 47 having suitable or conventional pivoted lever linkage connections 48 with stop members or a ratchet means 49 secured to'the skirt portion 28 on the outer metal sheath or wall 13 of the cabinet (see Figures 1 and 8). When cabinet is to be rotated relative to base 11 to bring the access opening of a desired food compartment and consequently its door 41 to the front, pedal 47 is depressed to release the lever linkage 48 from the stop or ratchet 49. The cabinet may thereupon be rotated with ease about base 11 upon its ball bearing supporting means, plates 31 and 33 and balls 34.

A refrigerating system is associated with cabinet 10 and this system includes a refrigerant evaporator 51, a refrigerant translating device having a condenser 52, a sealed motor-compressor unit 53 and conduits connecting the evaporator 51, condenser 52 and unit 53 in closed circuit relationship as is conventional in the art. Evaporator 51 of this refrigerating system is in the form of a continuous conduit wrapped or coiled about and suitably secured to liner 12 of a plurality of walls of the low temperature or freezing compartment 21. The motorcompressor unit of the refrigerating system is mounted in the machine compartment and condenser 52 is in the form of an elongated helical coil disposed in flue 20 in the path of air flowing therethrough. Condenser 52 is a heat dissipating element of the refrigerating system and heat given off by the same induces and augments the circulation of air from exteriorly of the refrigerator, through cut-out portions 38 in base 11 into the lower inlet of flue 20, upwardly in the flue and out of the stop thereof through the outlet openings 27. Feet 54 are provided on a strap-like bracket secured within flue 20 for supporting the condenser therein. The closed refrigerating system is carried by and is rotatable with cabinet 10 upon or relative to base 11. Operation of the electric motor within the sealed unit 53 to drive the compressor therein may be controlled by any suitable or conventional thermostatically actuated switch means (not shown) as is well known in the art. Since the closed refrigerating system is rotatable along with cabinet 10 relative to base 11 means must be provided for conducting electric current to the control switch and to the motor of unit 53. In the present disclosure an electric extension cord 56 adapted to be disconnectably attached to a suitable receptacle source of electric current extends through the stationary base 11 and has its wires 57 and 58 connected to spring pressed terminals or brushes 61 and 62 respectively (see Figure 10) mounted in or upon an insulated supported bracket 63 secured to base 11. The brushes 61 and 62 bear against ring conductors 64 and 65 respectively mounted in an insulating collar 66 pressed into and stationarily secured to the shouldered metal collar 32. These collars 32 and 66 rotate with cabinet 10 relative to base 11 and therefore wires 67 and 68 leading upwardly through flue 20 to the thermostat switch (not shown) and to motor of unit 53 may be connected to the ring conductors 64 and 65 in any suitable or conventional manner so as to convey electric current to the switch and to unit 53 from the wires 57 and 58.

Each insulated wall partition 18 of freezing compartment 21 of cabinet 10 is provided with an upper and a lower aperture or opening permitting communication of air between this low temperature compartment and the two adjacent food storage compartments 22 and 23 for cooling these latter compartments. A movable lover or shutter-like control is employed to regulate or control the openings in partitions 18 for increasing or decreasing flow of air between the freezing or frozen food storage compartment 21 and the other two food storage compartments to thus vary the temperature of compartment 22 with respect to the temperature of compartment 23 if desired. Such an air flue controlling means may be actuated auto matically by a temperature responsive device or it may be manually adjusted. In the present disclosure a plurality of shutters 71 (See Figures 5 and 6) are pivotally mounted within the confining walls of the openings in the partitions 18 and each shutter has an arm 72 con nected to an actuator 73. The actuator 73 (see Figure 6) is movable upwardly and downwardly to adjust the shutters to the desired position to increase or decrease the flow of air between the freezing compartment 21 and either of the relatively warmer food storage compartments 22 or 23. Friction between the mounting of shutters 71, arms 72 and actuator 73 may be utilized to maintain the shutters in any one of their adjusted positions. In this manner each compartment 22 and 23 is refrigerated by cold air flowing from the low temperature freezing compartment 21 therethrough.

From the foregoing it should be apparent that there is provided an improved refrigerating apparatus of the combined home freezer and household type. By providing a rotatable refrigerator cabinet and a refrigerating system therein and rotatable therewith the refrigerating apparatus is particularly useful for installation in spaces where it may be impractical or impossible to provide a square-like corner. The location of the flue in the center of the cylindrical structure at the axis of rotation of the cabinet upon its base and the disposition of the condenser of the refrigerator system therein affords several advantages. Cool air in the vicinity of the supporting base may flow into the structure at spaced apart points entirely around the same and enter the flue. The heat of the condenser induces a natural draft or thermo-siphon air circulation upwardly in the flue and this circulation continues after the refrigerant translating unit stops operating to further cool the condenser. In this manner the use of a fan, which normally creates noises, to force air over the condenser is eliminated and yet the condenser is efiiciently cooled.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted as may come within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In combination, a refrigerator cabinet, a base for supporting said cabinet, means mounting said cabinet on said base for rotary movement relative thereto, said cabinet having inner and outer walls with insulating material therebetween forming a plurality of individual food storage chambers therein, each food chamber having an access opening, separate doors normally closing the access opening of said individual food storage chambers, said insulated walls providing a partition in said cabinet between said food storage chambers, said insulated Walls also being shaped to form a vertical flue in said partition extending through said cabinet at the axis of rotation thereof upon said base, said flue having an inlet at the bottom of said cabinet and an outlet at the top thereof for the circulation of air therethrough, a refrigerating system carried by and rotatable with said cabinet relative to its supporting base, said refrigerating system including a refrigerant evaporator for cooling the interior of one of said food storage chambers to a temperature below freezing, a refrigerant translating device having a condenser and conduits connecting said evaporator, said device and said condenser in closed circuit relationship, said partition having an opening therein providing communication of air between said one food storage chamber and another thereof, means associated with the opening in said partition for controlling the flow of air between said chambers to cool the interior of said another food storage chamber to a temperature above freezing, and the condenser of said refrigerant translating device of the closed refrigerating system being disposed in said flue in the path of air flowing therethrough.

2. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein the base is hollow and provided with openings spaced therearound for the flow of air exteriorly of the cabinet into the flue inlet.

3. A refrigerating apparatus comprising in combination, a vertically elongated cylindrical cabinet, a base for supporting said cabinet, means rotatably mounting said cabinet on said base, said cabinet having insulated walls forming a chamber therein and other insulated walls providing an upright partition in said chamber and a cylindrical flue extending upwardly through the center of said cabinet, said partition dividing said chamber into a plurality of upright side by side food storage compartments, a refrigerating system carried by said cabinet and rotatable therewith relative to said supporting base, said refrigerating system including a refrigerant evaporator for cooling the interior of one of said food storage compartments to a temperature below 32 F., a refrigerant translating device having a condenser and conduits connecting said evaporator, said device and said condenser in closed circuit relationship, said condenser of the refrigerant translating device of said refrigerating system being disposed in and extending along said cylindrical flue, said flue having an inlet at its bottom and an outlet at the top thereof for the circulation of air therethrough and over said condenser, said partition having an opening therein providing communication of air between said one food storage compartment and another thereof, means associated with the opening in said partition for controlling the flow of air between said compartments whereby said another food storage compartment is refrigerated to a temperature above 32 F, and means for locking said cylindrical cabinet against rotary movement relative to said base, said last named means being releasable to permit rotation of said cabinet about its rotatable mounting on said base.

4. The combination defined in claim 3 wherein the base has spaced apart openings therearo und for the flow of air exteriorly of the cabinet into the flue inlet.

5. A refrigerating apparatus comprising in combination, a cabinet, a base for supporting said cabinet, means mounting said cabinet on said base for rotation relative thereto, said cabinet having a plurality of insulated walls forming a chamber therein, an insulated partition extending across said chamber and dividing same into side by side upright food storage compartments, a portion of said partition being shaped to provide a vertical flue extending through said cabinet at the axis of rotation thereof upon said base, said flue having an inlet at the bottom of said cabinet and an outlet in the top wall of said cabinet for the circulation of air in a straight line path of flow through the flue and outwardly thereof in the center of said cabinet top wall, a refrigerating system carried by and rotatable with said cabinet relative to its: supporting base,

said system including a refrigerant evaporator for cooling one of said compartments to a predetermined low temperature, a refrigerant translating device including a condenser and conduits connecting said evaporator, said device and said condenser in closed circuit relationship, said partition having an opening therein providing communication of air between said one compartment and another thereof, means associated with the opening in said partition and adjustable relative thereto for regulating the flow of air between said compartments to cool said another food storage compartment to a temperature above said predetermined temperature of said one compartment, said refrigerant translating device being located outside said line and the condenser of said refrigerating system being disposed in said flue in the path of air flowing therethrough.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

